Seth's Hoenn Adventure
by demirefaye
Summary: Seth isn't a boy. Seth is a girl but nobody must find out this little secret of hers. How is she ever going to keep that under wraps and try save the hoenn region at the same time? Just read on to find out. Now accepting OCs.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. However, I do own the OCs and will fight to the death to protect them. There, I said it. So can we proceed with the story now?

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CHAPTER ONE - PROLOGUE

Seth Thornthwaite stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her jade coloured eyes shifted beneath her thick glasses, taking in her pale pixie-like face and the mass of black hair framing it. Her soft hair fell all the way to her waist, curling a little at the end. Her hair had been her pride and joy for nearly as long as she could remember but in order for her plan to succeed, the deed had to be done.

_"Such a pity_." Seth thought to herself as she stretched her hand towards the pair of gleaming scissors which was lying at the edge of the basin. She then picked up the seemingly innocent object and started hacking at her precious locks.

Seth winced as her black hair fell down, lock by lock, scattering apart the moment it touched the cold titled floor. Soon, the floor of the bathroom was covered with what used to be her ebony black hair and when she looked up into the mirror, an alien face greeted her. It was those same green eyes and that same face but this time her precious long hair was gone. Replacing it was a short crop which made her look like a boy.

_"Well_," Seth comforted herself. "_At least I look like my name now."_

Seth was normally a boy's name but her parents had decided to name her Seth not because they had always wanted a boy (Seth has an older brother called Mariah) but just simply because they fancied it. Despite being given a boy's name, Seth loved her name and had she been given a chance to change it...well, she would never do it.

Seth moved out of her spacious bathroom and into her bedroom which was at least three times bigger than the room which she had just exited. She had been living a sheltered life ever since the day she was born and she had gotten extremely sick of people attending to her every need and assisting her despite her protests that she didn't need their help. Everything she wanted appeared in front of her when she asked for it…well, everything except for adventure.

All Seth had ever wanted was a good old adventure, just like in the books she often read. Thus with that in mind, she had devised a master plan to run away from her currently restrictive life and escape into the comforting arms of adventure.

She had only taken a few steps forward when a black cat-like creature with yellow rings and bands decorating its body dashed towards Seth and leaped at her. The force knocked the petite girl off her feet and she fell, landing on her butt, with a thud.

Seth froze, straining her ears to listen for any sign of her servants or parents waking as the creature nuzzled her neck happily.

Seth heaved a sigh of relief when a few seconds passed and nothing stirred. She glared at the culprit who was now content that his owner was at his level and proceeded to purr, rubbing himself at her face.

"Hey, cut it out Cain!" Seth reprimanded her Umbreon in her sternest yet softest voice possible. "Do that again and I swear I'll leave you behind!"

Upon hearing this, the Moonlight Pokémon stopped his antics and sat down. He looked at Seth with his crimson eyes, pleading for her not to leave him behind.

"No I'm not going to leave you silly, just behave yourself," Seth spoke to him, this time in a much kinder voice.

Seth smiled as her best friend's, who happened to be her first Pokémon, eyes lit up and he puffed out his chest, in an attempt to be more obedient. She then proceeded to get up from the floor.

It had been exactly a year since Seth first met Cain. She had gotten Cain on her fifteenth birthday and at that time, he had still been an Eevee. The bond between the two grew as they spent time together, and soon, Seth's Eevee had evolved into an Umbreon.

Seth smiled at her memories, only snapping out of her reverie when Cain pawed at her jeans. She looked at her best friend and nodded. "_Soon_," she thought to herself, "_We will be free!"_

Seth removed a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, walking over to her bed and laying it down on the soft and fluffy material. It was a letter to her parents explaining her reasons for running away:

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_By the time you read this letter, I will have been long gone. I have decided to go on an adventure on my own. It was my own decision; I was not influenced by anyone. The reason why is because I am sick of being served 24/7 and I would like to do something on my own for once._

_I know that I am being very rash but if I had informed you of my departure, I would probably have been grounded for a month for just having that kind of thought. Cain is accompanying me on this trip so I should be fairly safe._

_Do not bother to search for me as I have disguised myself and am currently un-recognisable. I know you all will be worried for me but please do not be as I have prepared for this for months. I want to say thank you and I love you all. But seriously, please do not go after me._

_Love,_

_Seth_

Seth took another look at the letter which she had already read through countless times, making sure that she got everything right.

After glancing through one last time, Seth picked up her heavy bag pack which contained all she needed and made her way to her window where a made-shift rope using tied up clothes laid.

Seth softly called for Cain and he appeared almost instantly. She then removed a Pokéball form her belt and pressed its button twice, the first to enlarge and the second to bring Umbreon in. A red beam shot out to engulf Umbreon and a few seconds later, Cain was in the Pokéball and Seth could see him grinning through the translucent red half of the sphere.

Seth pressed the button again and the Pokéball shrunk to its original size which fitted into Seth's belt perfectly. She then clicked Cain's ball into place and began her descent.

Her boots made a soft thud as she landed onto the damp grassy patch. Seth then released Cain from his Pokéball and the two friends made their way towards the wooden fence.

Seth kneeled down and started groping in the dark, trying to feel the escape route she and Cain had created a few days ago. Seth had to secretly take the saw from the shed at night and slowly cut a hole in the fence. Cain had helped too in his own little way by gnawing but it was mainly the saw that had cut through the wood.

Seth moved her fingers a little more and gave a little push. A hole appeared in the fence and Cain gracefully slinked out while his less agile partner had to get on all fours and crawl her way through.

After Seth had gotten through, she stood up and dusted herself off. She turned to her Umbreon with a nod, and the two friends then proceeded to walk away from the house, the darkness slowly engulfing them, resembling a black leviathan silently swallowing its prey from the watery depths of the deep and dark ocean.

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Yes yes, it's a short chapter since it's just the prologue. I promise you the next will be longer!

Please feel free to comment! Flames accepted (=

It's my first story so please be nice!

devil-fairy205 signing out!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I **do not **own Pokémon. There, you must be blind to not see the "do not".

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CHAPTER TWO

Seth leaned against the cool metal railings and breathed in deeply as she took in the fresh and salty sea air. People and Pokémon alike strolled along the wooden decks of the S.S Aqua. The atmosphere was bright and everybody, as far as Seth could see, was excited about this trip, with the exception of a little boy near the starboard side of the ship whining to his parents about not wanting to leave home.

The black haired girl craned her neck upwards towards the early morning sky and spotted a flock of Wingulls which glided noisily above the ferry, apparently riding on an updraft. Seth and Cain had managed to run away from their home in Olivine and were now on board a ferry that would take the new adventurers away from the Johto region to faraway lands.

Though, there was still a huge risk that Seth might be discovered and be returned to her over protective parents. Thus, Seth had reduced her once long hair into a crop and had cross-dressed as a boy to minimise that risk. She had even bandaged her already flat chest to keep her profile more boyish.

She then turned back to look at Cain whom she felt was uncharacteristically quiet.

The Moonlight Pokémon shakily stood beside his owner, green in the face. He was suffering from sea-sickness.

Seth chuckled in amusement at her Umbreon's feeble attempts to swat at the Wingulls who were obviously out of his reach. Cain however, did not find it the least bit funny and huffed at Seth, only to barf into the ocean a few minutes later.

"_There is never a dull moment with Cain around, is there?_" Seth thought to herself as she recalled Cain into his Pokéball and clicked the red and white sphere to her belt.

She then stole a glance at her watch, only to sigh in disappointment when she found out that she still had a total of eight horridly long hours to waste before she arrived at Slateport City, Hoenn. In addition, she would have to take another ferry ride upon arriving at Slateport City, which was mercifully only an hour long, to Petalburg City, where she could then make her way up to Rustboro City where the first gym was located. Seth planed to challenge all the gyms in Hoenn, though she was still undecided on whether she should take on the Elite Four and the Champion.

"Ah well, no point deciding now is there?" Seth shrugged to herself as she made her way down the deck and into the dim metal interior of the ferry. She had originally planned to explore the whole S.S. Aqua together with Cain but now, he was unable to walk even ten steps without barfing, so Seth had to scratch that plan off her list.

"Guess I don't have much of a choice do I_?" _Seth muttered under her breath. _"_I'll just have to do it on my own."

After spending two hours roaming along the ever twisting narrow passages of the metal hulk, Seth was lost. She didn't want to admit it in the first place but after returning to the same spot after she had left it for the fifth time, Seth knew that she was seriously lost.

"Argh!" Seth groaned in frustration. _"_Why can't the _bloody_ crew of this _bloody_ ship put up bloody _signs_ to inform people of their _bloody_ location?"

Scowling deeply, Seth angrily turned at the next corner she saw and heard shouts that seemed to be coming from the wooden door to her left.

She blinked curiously. Noticing it was not fully closed as she could see a stream of yellow light escaping from a crack, she decided to take a peek.

"Nix! Use Ember!" A stoic tenor voice sounded.

"Vullllpix!" A red ball of flames formed in the Fox Pokémon's mouth and shot to the opposite side of the battle arena where it met its target, a black dog like creature with silver rings on its legs, a Houndour. The Dark Pokémon seemed unaffected; the Ember had done little damage to it.

Seth pushed the door open a little more to get a better view of the battle. She laid her eyes upon the huge hall with special reinforced walls, built for the trainers on board the S.S. Aqua who wanted to fight.

"_I didn't know that there was a place like this in the S.S. Aqua."_ Seth thought as she tried to widen the gap a little more. However, she pushed a little too hard and fell through the door, landing on her face, causing her glasses to fall off and skid away across the floor.

The two trainers immediately stopped their fight and turned sharply towards the direction of the disturbance. Both the Vulpix and Houndour picked up their battle stance and directed their glares towards Seth, getting ready to attack once their owners gave them the cue.

"S-Sorry to intrude!" Seth said in the most dignified manner she could. After all it wasn't exactly easy to talk to someone after they saw you land on your face. "I didn't mean to interrupt your battle!"

Almost immediately, the tension in the atmosphere dissolved and one of the trainers started laughing. Seth got on all fours to pick up her glasses. Once she laid her hand on the cool metal, she hastily wore it and quickly got up, embarrassed. She watched as the trainer who wasn't laughing came over and introduced himself.

"The name's Lind. Lind Fletcher. That numbskull over there laughing like a crazed maniac is my twin brother Jay. You can ignore him though; he's the odd one in the family." Lind seemed to apologise.

Seth laid her eyes on the two trainers for the first time and noticed that they did indeed look similar; they both had auburn hair and stunning blue eyes. They were well built but not like a Machoke and were taller than Seth by at least a head. Both boys wore grey jeans and black shirts but Lind however donned a maroon turtle neck while Jay had on a navy blue one.

"M-My name is Seth Th-Evans." Seth quickly stated her slightly modified name. "I was exploring the interior of the ship and happened to chance upon this room and I heard shouts and so I became a little curious and couldn't resist the urge to peek. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your battle, I-"

"Whoa! Hold your horses! We are not mad at you, no need to explain yourself so quickly." Jay finally spoke. He had managed to stop laughing and pulled himself together. Jay then walked over to Seth and patted her on her head. "You're a good kid and we can see that. So where are your parents Seth? You are lost aren't you?"

Seth became indignant at Jay's words and spat out, "Please do not treat me like a kid because I just turned 16 yesterday. For your information, I am travelling alone since I am more than old enough to do so and I'm not really lost!" She yelled, lying at the last part.

The twins blinked in surprise. Jay's jaw dropped. He then looked at his brother and said, "You mean this squirt is actually older than us?"

"What did you say! Take that back or I'll tear your tongue right out! For goodness sake I am not short!" Seth glared at Jay, holding a fist out towards him threateningly.

"Okay! Okay! Chill man! I take it all back!"

"Stop it you two," Lind spoke, unable to take the conflict any more.

Seth stopped her advance and took a deep breath. She was extremely sensitive about issues on her height. Even though Jay had taken back his words, Seth sent him a glare. If looks could kill, Jay would have probably been dead by now.

"Like I said, Jay is the odd one in the family so you can completely ignore him. I apologise on behalf of my idiotic elder brother. He does not watch what he says so most of the time I don't really pay attention to him." Lind grinned, in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

"Tch, so you betray your twin brother now, do ya?" Jay childishly sulked and turned around to recall his Pokémon. The Houndour lumbered towards Jay and disappeared quickly into its Pokéball with a red flash. "Some sort of younger brother you are!"

"I was just telling Seth that he shouldn't be bothered by your words as you didn't mean it with any ill intentions, you nincompoop."

Jay looked at his twin after a long pause. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I thought my precious younger brother was siding with a complete stranger!"

He then grinned brightly. "Hey, why don't the 3 of us go for lunch now? My treat! Seth, just pretend that this is a make up for my rudeness just now, kay?"

Puzzled at Jay's change in attitude, Seth felt sceptical, wondering if Jay suffered from bipolar disorder and whether she should accept that offer.

"Erm, no it's okay...I am not really hungry-" Seth's stomach growled as if on cue, causing her to blink.

The two boys smiled, shaking their heads and insisting for Seth to join them, to which she was hesitant about.

Finally, Lind bent down and whispered to Seth, "Jay is always like that. No need to worry," he then returned to the battle field to recall his Vulpix who had been patiently waiting for him during the entire duration of the talk.

Seth nodded, unable to think of any other reasons to reject their offer. She grudgingly trudged behind her two companions while Jay who was at the front started to hum in a happy tune.

Throughout their talk at the canteen, Seth found out that despite being twins, the two boys had personalities that were as different as day and night. Jay was a more happy-go-lucky kind of guy who forgot and forgave people easily, enabling him to make friends instantly while Lind on the other hand was more of an introvert and preferred to keep things to himself.

If one told Jay a secret, the entire world would hear of it immediately while Lind would keep it safely guarded till he was carried to his death bed. That was the impression Seth got from the two twins.

After talking to them, Seth found out that they were from Ecruteak City and that they wanted to go to new lands to travel. Jay wanted to fight gym battles while Lind preferred Pokémon contests. She also found out that they were turning 16 next month, so she was their senior despite her looks.

They then asked Seth for her history and her reason for coming to Hoenn. Seth simply replied that she wanted to be more independent and travel further away from home. Well, that wasn't exactly a lie right? She then stated her purpose; to challenge all the gyms in Hoenn.

Half way through their conversation, Jay lighted up and said, "Hey because we all started off at the wrong foot, we didn't get to introduce our Pokémon." He smiled and released his Houndour before elbowing his twin to do so.

"Seth, Cerberus and Cerberus, Seth. Oh and Cerberus is a he."

Seth looked at the Dark Pokémon and smiled. "Nice to meet you Cerberus!"

"Dour Hound!" The fire type replied, his slobbery pink tongue hanging limply out of his mouth.

Lind then let his Vulpix out and said, "This is Nix," he paused to stroke the fox Pokémon. "Nix's a female."

"Nice to meet you too Nix!"

Nix gave Seth an uncaring look and nodded her head before turning her butt towards Seth, her 6 cinnamon coloured tails swished elegantly behind. Apparently the little brown fox did not like the black haired girl and made no effort to conceal it.

"She's always like that. It takes a while for her to warm up to strangers."

"Oh okay," Seth replied, wondering what had she ever done to offend Nix.

"Hey Seth, since we showed you our Pokémon can you show us yours? Jay asked.

"Yeah, I want to see who your partner is."

"Erm, alright. Cain, come on out." Seth removed the Pokéball from her belt and released her Umbreon. A white flash of light appeared from the red and white sphere and the Moonlight Pokémon materialised in front of the trio.

"Guys, meet Cain. He's a male, by the way."

"Umbree?" The partially sea sick Pokémon called out.

"Whoa! An Umbreon! So cool!" Jay exclaimed excitedly, before he noticed Cain's state and frowned. "But doesn't he look a little green in the face?"

"Yup," Seth answered. "He's a little sea sick. Cain, return." Seth clicked the button on the Pokéball and the Umbreon gladly disappeared into his safe haven.

"Hey I just remembered that you said that you were going to challenge the gyms in Hoenn, right? So why not join us?" Jay gave Seth a wide smile. "The more the merrier!"

"Erm I think three's a crowd. Anyway, I don't want to be a bother."

"Awww, come on, there's no need to be shy! Right, Lind?" Jay gave her a friendly grin. "It's not like we're gonna eat you or anything."

"As much as I hate to agree with my brother, I need to travel with someone sane or I'll become like him." Lind said wryly, pointing to Jay.

Jay scowled. "Hey, hey! Stop telling Seth all my bad points!"

He gave his brother a smug smirk."After all I am the more charming of us two and you are just jealous!"

Lind rolled his eyes. "Who would be jealous of you, dimwit."

He then turned to Seth, ignoring Jay's indignant protests. "So Seth, you're travelling with us?" He prompted, trying to end the conversation with Jay.

Seth smiled and nodded her head, causing Jay to grin widely.

"Yay! Us the three extremely good looking guys shall travel together then! A toast to us!"

Jay lifted his soda with a bright grin and the trio clinked their glasses with each other, giving each other friendly smiles before drinking from their respective glasses.

Seth smiled as she drank from her glass, knowing somehow that she was going to have a ball of a time with her two new friends and maybe get into some trouble as well.

And she was right.

However, what she had not expected was that their adventures together would bring her much more trouble than she had first anticipated or wanted...

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As I promised, a slightly longer chapter be still not long enough...I think?

Do give your comments! Both bad and good ones accepted(=

devil-fairy205 signing out.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Sigh...I do not own such a cool thing like Pokémon...

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CHAPTER THREE

"Land sweet land!" An auburn haired boy with eyes the colour of the sea screamed. He jumped down the flight of stairs of the ferry and on to the jetty of Route 104 where he landed roughly on the rickety old wooden boards. Jay then turned around to look at his travelling companions.

"Stop behaving like a complete moron Jay or I'll tell everyone that asks that I don't know you." Jay's younger brother, who was standing behind him, frowned.

"Nobody would believe you my dear little brother. After all we are identical twins," grinned Jay as he continued to make a fool of himself.

Lind rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply, wondering why he had an elder brother who was a complete birdbrain. Jay by then had attracted enough attention from the locals, who were sending annoyed glares their way. Lind felt his face go hot. He walked forward and dragged the noisy trouble maker away from the public's line of sight.

Doing her very best to catch up with her friends was Seth. Sadly she did not have legs as long as the twins and was obviously lagging behind the boys.

"Hey wait up!"

At that, Lind dropped Jay and whispered something to him. Jay chuckled while Lind smirked. Seth narrowed her jade coloured eyes, wondering what the two were up to.

"What? Do I have anything on my face?" Seth spat.

"Nope Mr. Slowpoke," mocked Lind.

Seth lifted her eyebrows and turned her head sharply, glaring at Jay, knowing he would spill the beans sooner or later.

"Erm Lind," Jay tugged at Lind's sleeve. "Seth is looking at me in a scary way. Make him stop! Please! I can feel his eyes boring a hole in me!"

"That's 'cause you're a total loser." Lind then shrugged off his brother's arm and walked away as if Jay's touch was toxic, leaving Jay behind with Seth. He slowly turned his head to face Seth.

"Spit it out," Seth prompted, still glaring at Jay.

Jay looked around nervously and suddenly burst out running towards Lind, screaming, yelling at the top of his lungs that there was a green eyed monster out to burn him with its laser eyes.

Seth scowled inwardly and made a mental note to corner Jay later and get the answers she wanted out from him. She then released her best friend, Cain.

The moonlight Pokémon looked around tentatively, wondering if he was still on that damned ferry. When he sniffed the ground weakly and found grass, he jumped for joy, elated to be off the ferry and on dry land again.

The two friends ran and caught up with the twins. Lind was still trying to get rid of the clingy Jay who was hugging his brother, pretending to be sobbing in fear. Seth rolled her eyes at the sight.

Eventually, the trio moved on.

As the last rays of the sun disappeared through the treetops, they arrived at Petalburg City. The small city was bathed in an orange glow as the sun set, and the street lights flickered on. Cain happily pranced beside Seth as they walked down the well paved streets. All around them were people rushing home from work, eager to get home to their loved ones before nightfall.

Soon a Pokémon centre came into view and the tired travellers strode into the building, glad that they could rest for the day.

"Good evening," greeted a pink haired lady behind the counter.

"Good evening Nurse Joy," Jay greeted cheerfully. "We would like to stay here for the night please."

"No problem, just fill up this form and you'll have your room."

Lind stepped forward and filled up the form. He knew that if Jay were the one who filled it up, he would get everything wrong.

"Hey Seth, is it okay if we all share a room? I mean we're all guys right?" Lind said lazily as he ticked the form.

Seth froze. Her mind was going on overdrive.

"I would prefer to have my own room." Seth sheepishly replied. "I'm not really used to sharing a room with anyone else except for Cain."

Jay smiled at her and patted her on the back. "Aww! Don't be a downer! Just bunk together with us. It will be fun! Come on!" Jay then gave Seth the puppy eyed look.

Seth sighed and reluctantly agreed, against her better judgement.

Lind smiled, hastily scribbling down some more words before returning the form to Nurse Joy. After a quick glance down at the piece of paper, she handed them their room key and pointed to them the direction of their room.

They all thanked Nurse Joy and gratefully trudged to their room. When Lind unlocked the wooden door and turned the handle, Jay burst out from behind him and rushed into the room.

"I'll take the top bunk!" he hollered as he scrambled up the ladder and made himself at home.

Seth looked into the simply furnished room and saw that there was a single bed and a bunk bed.

"The single bed is mine!" Seth lunged towards it before Lind could claim it as his own.

"Tch, then that leaves with me with the bottom bunk..."Lind said, scowling and dumping his bag pack on his bed.

"Hey since we're all settled down why don't we go have our dinner?" Jay questioned, looking down from his high position. "I'm starving!"

"I'll join you guys later," Seth looked up from her bed. "I'll take a bath first since there is only one bathroom here."

"Fine with me." Lind nonchalantly replied before the twins left the room to eat.

Only when the door clicked shut did Seth remove her bandages from her chest. She neatly folded them and dug out her clothes from her bag. She quickly brought her clothes together with her into the bathroom and locked it. As an extra measure, she ordered Cain to watch the door in case either of the twins entered.

After spending 15 minutes in the shower, Seth stepped out of the steam filled room, feeling extremely refreshed. She patted the black cat on the head as she walked towards her bed. She then bound her chest again and stuffed her undergarments deep into her bag; after all she couldn't take the risk of anyone finding out about her true gender.

"Come on Cain." Seth cheerily called out to her Pokémon as she opened the door. Cain gracefully slipped out and Seth closed the door shut.

Seth and Cain walked towards the canteen of the Pokémon centre. Seth was a little taken aback on how noisy the place was. Pokémon and trainers alike gathered to eat in the not really small but crowded place. Food and Pokémon were flying through the air in every direction. The atmosphere was warm and happy; too cheery and crowded for Seth's taste.

Seth spotted her friends from afar and weaved her way through the crowd before finally plonking herself down onto a chair. The twins had released their Pokémon and they were all enjoying their meals.

"Hey Seth! You sure took a long time in the bathroom!" Jay spoke with his mouth full. "Were you like jerking o-" Jay was stopped in mid sentence by his twin who clamped his hand over Jay's mouth.

"Ignore him for the sake of our modesty." Lind said as he glowered at Jay.

"Yeah I planned to," Seth tried her best to reply without showing too much embarrassment. Seth then bought Cain a bowl of Pokémon food before setting it down beside the two fire types who were busily munching on theirs. Cain purred appreciatively before dunking his head into the delicious food.

Seth gave a smile before she bought herself a bowl of noodles and settled down to eat her dinner. The twins were discussing their plans for tomorrow.

"Seth, do you mind if we take a detour and go to Littleroot Town first?" Lind questioned. "Our uncle wants to meet up with us. He says he needs to pass us some things."

"Oh, you have an uncle there? I didn't know."

"Yeah...Nurse Joy received a call from him just now while you were bathing and directed it to us. Sorry for the sudden change of plans..."

"No it's okay I'll go with you then," Seth smiled. "Family comes first."

Jay looked up from his food and said "Ruu rarh da besssh!" (You are the best)

"Yeah I know."

The travellers ate heartily and were soon done with dinner.

The trio recalled their Pokémon into their Pokéballs and handed them over to Nurse Joy who placed them into the dents of the healing machine. Nurse Joy's Chansey pressed a button and the 3 Pokéballs glowed for a few seconds. When the glow died down, Nurse Joy picked the red and white spheres up and returned the Pokémon to their trainers who gladly received their Pokémon who were now in tip top condition.

The trainers then headed back to their rooms to bathe and sleep. After all they had a long day ahead of them.

Back at their room, the twins squabbled over who could bathe first and they ended up tossing a coin. Lind won. He gave Jay a smug smile and proudly made his way to the bathroom and locked it shut. Jay was on the top bunk, angrily sulking over his loss, muttering that Lind had only won because he had given in to his younger brother.

Seth laid down on her lumpy bed and closed her eyes. Cain curled up into a ball beside her and she could feel the warmth emitted from the Umbreon's body. Seth stroked Cain and felt his body rise and fall. She could even feel Cain's even heartbeat. It had a hypnotic effect.

Seth's eyelids started to feel heavy and soon, her breathing slowed and Seth willingly fell prey to her tiredness, collapsing into a deep slumber...

* * *

"Thud, Bang!"

"Crash!"

"Ahhhh!"

Seth woke up with a start. Her still groggy eyes scanned the room for the disturbance.

Seth spotted the auburn haired idiot and his Houndour sitting on the floor, rubbing his bottom. Lind was towering above him, glaring at his elder brother

"Owww! You didn't have to kick that hard!" Jay whined.

"Then stop trying to spring a surprise attack on me. You are about as graceful as a Golem. Anyone could have heard your footsteps a mile away." Lind yawned. The younger twin then turned back to his bed and collapsed back into sleep.

Jay picked himself up from the floor and dusted himself off. He turned his head towards Seth and saw that she was awake.

"Oh my Arceus! I'm so sorry!" Jay apologised. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Seth glanced at her watch, noticing that it was 7.30 in the morning.

"No worries," she mumbled. "I was about to wake up anyway." Seth lied.

"Umbree?" Cain stretched his body and gave a huge yawn. He then leaped off the bed and greeted the active Jay and Cerberus who were still trying to get Lind to wake up.

"Cerberus, give Lind a big slobbery kiss!"

The Dark Pokémon pounced on Lind and licked the still sleeping twin on the face.

"What the- Ewww! Get him off!" screamed Lind when he opened his eyes to find a huge wet nose and a pink tongue dripping drool all over his face. "Cerberus! Your breath smells like the sewers! Jay what in the name of Mew have you been feeding Cerberus?"

"Not telling!"

"Crap! Now I stink. Excuse me while I go wash my face." Lind waved Cerberus off him and proceeded to the bathroom to clean up.

Seth sweat dropped. "Is every morning this erm...active?"

"Yup!"

Seth made a mental note to never share another room with Jay again.

After the trio washed up and packed their items, they returned the key to Nurse Joy and headed out to Route 102.

The trainers had released their Pokémon and were now walking through the grass. Cerberus was constantly galloping ahead, only returning when he was attacked by the occasional wild Pokémon. Nix on the other hand stayed close to her trainer but blew Embers at the wild Wurmples and Zigzagoons who dared to approach.

Seth looked down at her Umbreon who was trotting silently in front of her, taking in his surroundings without making a nuisance of himself like Cerberus.

Before noon, they had arrived at Oldale Town. The travellers rested a little before setting off for Littleroot Town and arriving just in time for lunch.

As they set off along Route 101, they heard a scream. Seth looked at the two twins who both nodded and the trio started running towards the source of that scream. They were fast approaching a clearing and what they saw surprised them.

"Somebody help me!" A man with brown hair in a white lab coat shouted. He was barely hanging off a tree branch. Below him was a wild Poochyena snapping eagerly at his heels.

"Cain use Dig!"

At Seth's command, The Moonlight Pokémon quickly disappeared under flying bits of dirt, surfacing a few seconds later to hit the Bite Pokémon hard on its face. The wild Poochyena wavered a little and collapsed on the ground. The battle was over.

The man in the lab coat gingerly slid off the branch and landed on his feet. He heaved a sigh of relief and looked up at his saviours.

"Gasp! Jay? Lind? Is that you?"

"Yup! The one and only Jay and Lind, Uncle." Jay cheerily replied.

"Wow! You boys have grown since I last saw you!" The boys' Uncle beamed. "You two sure have grown. Who is this young man beside you?"

"Oh, this is Seth Evans and that Umbreon is Cain. They will be travelling with us." Lind casually replied before turning to Seth. "Seth, this is our Uncle, also known as Professor Birch."

Seth looked at the stout man and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you Professor!"

"Nice to meet you too Seth! Now, how about we get out of this heat and have lunch over at my place? " Professor Birch did not wait for any of them to reply and ushered the trio to his home.

When they arrived at the Professor's home, they could smell the delicious aroma of stew.

"Honey I'm home!"

A small lady appeared out of the kitchen and warmly greeted Jay and Lind. After enquiring about Seth's name, she gave Seth an equally warm greeting. Mrs Birch then set up the table and they all enjoyed her cooking.

As soon as they were done, Professor Birch brought them to his lab which was just next door. The professor plopped t down onto his swivel chair, turning his gaze to the youngsters in the room.

"As you know, I specialise in the study of Pokémon habitats and distribution. Since it is really inconvenient for me to leave the lab, I need the help of some trainers to assist me in my research. So I would like you all to help me to collect data on Pokémon during your travels in Hoenn. Is that alright with you boys?" The brown haired man asked.

"Jeez Uncle, you know you can count on us!" Jay answered cheerily, glancing over at Seth and Lind.

"I'm not so sure about Jay but Seth and I are pretty reliable." Lind completely ignored Jay's previous sentence.

"Haha, you boys are as quarrelsome as always," Professor Birch chuckled. He then turned back to his desk and handed the trio a rectangular device each.

Seth looked at the slick emerald green object in her hand. Looking over, she saw that Lind had received a ruby red one while Jay had gotten a sapphire blue one.

"That device you are all holding is called a Pokédex. It automatically records and stores data of any Pokémon you encounter or catch. It's extremely convenient for recording data."

The Professor smiled, before reaching for his suit case and opening it. Inside were three Pokéballs.

"Here are three Pokémon which I want you to have; Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip. I want you to take one each and observe their growth." He then turned to Seth and said, "I want you to take one too. You have trained your Umbreon well and I'm sure you will do good with another."

Seth smiled sheepishly and said her thanks. Since Lind was the youngest, he got to pick first.

"Hmmm, I chose Treecko" the younger twin said after some consideration. The professor handed the Pokéball over and Lind received it.

"Mudkip please! Since I already have a fire type!" Jay grinned and got his as well.

"So Seth will get Torchic." The professor handed the last remaining Pokéball over.

The trio released their new Pokémon.

"Treecko Tree!" the green coloured gecko cried out. Lind held out his Pokédex and a cool mechanic voice sounded:

"_Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokémon. It has small hooks on the soles of its feet enabling it to scale vertical walls and ceilings. It attacks by slamming its foe with its thick tail. This Treecko is a male, level 5, knows Pound and Leer_."

Lind nodded, before bending down and greeting his new Pokémon. "Hello, Treecko. My name is Lind and I'm gonna be your new trainer. From now on, your name is Scepter."

"Tree Treecko!' The Wood Gecko Pokémon happily accepted his name and climbed up Lind's shoulder.

Jay flipped open his newly acquired Pokédex and the same cool voice emitted from his blue device.

"_Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon. The fin on its head acts as a highly sensitive radar- it is able to detect even the most minute movements in water. This Mudkip is a male, level 5, knows Tackle and Growl_."

"Good to meet you Mudkip. The name's Jay and you will be my new partner from now on. Your new name is Marshi!"

The Mud Fish Pokémon stared blankly at Jay and nodded its head a few seconds later. Seth couldn't help but think that the Mudkip was a little on the slow side.

She then looked down at her own new Pokémon. The orange chick looked up longingly at Seth. Seth took out her Pokédex and checked it.

"_Torchic, the Chick Pokémon. It sticks with its trainer, following behind with unsteady steps. Torchic breathes fire over 1800 degrees F, including fireballs which leave its foe scorched black. This Torchic is a female, level 5, knows Scratch and Growl_."

Seth stared down at her new Pokémon. How could something so cute do so much damage?

Jay looked at the Torchic and let out a laugh. "Haha, like Pokémon like owner-" but before he could say anymore, Lind elbowed him in the stomach, causing Jay to yelp in pain.

Seth thought for a moment before an idea struck her and she smiled "I know! I'll call you Asta! Nice to meet you Asta."

"Torchic Tor!" the Chick Pokémon chirped, cuddling herself against Seth's leg.

Once they were done with the introductions, Professor Birch briefed them about their job and offered to drive them to Oldale Town. The trainers accepted and got onto the Professor's cool ride.

However, half way throughout the journey, Seth, Jay and Lind all turned green in the face. The Professor had the most horrible driving skills ever. His jeep constantly swerved left and right, causing the three travellers to be squashed at the back.

As soon as they alighted at Oldale Town and waved the Professor goodbye, the twins started making fun of their uncle's horrible driving skills, saying that it was probably safer to travel on the back of a wild Rhydon, while Seth smiled in shared amusement.

As the sun was starting to set, they decided to spend the night at Oldale town. After they got their keys from Nurse Joy (Seth asked for a separate room from the boys this time), they ventured out to explore the town. The twins decided to go on their own, so Seth had time to herself.

Seth released her Pokémon out of their balls and introduced them to each other.

"Cain meet Asta, she is going to be our new friend!"

"Umbreee Umbreon!" the Moonlight Pokémon greeted.

"Torchic Tor Torchic!" the smaller Pokémon chirped in return.

"Good," Seth said. She smiled. "I'm glad that you two are getting along."

"So how about we go do some training before dinner?"

"Bre!"

"Torchic!"

The two Pokémon made a sound of agreement at the same time. Seth nodded her head and they made their way towards Route 102.

Cain and Asta easily defeated the wild Pokémon there. During a battle with a wild Poochyena, Asta learned Focus Energy. She had learned a new attack!

Cain easily knocked out most wild Pokémon with a single attack, only needing two with the higher levelled ones.

All this time, they were all unaware of a pair of red eyes looking out at them from the tall grass.

Soon, the sun had set and the blue sky was replaced with a red tint. Seth was extremely proud of her Pokémon. After all, her Pokémon had gained new levels. Asta was now at level 8 while Cain had gained two levels, becoming a level 14.

The exhausted Pokémon and trainer returned back to Oldale town where they met up with the boys for dinner.

The twins were already waiting for Seth outside the Pokémon Centre.

"Hey Slowpoke! How's your day?" Lind called out.

"Fine! I'll tell you over dinner."

The famished girl and Pokémon dug into their food, happy to have gotten some sort of substance into their empty stomachs.

The boys seemed to have trained in Route 103 and their Pokémon had gained new levels as well. The trio then talked about what they would do the next day. After a lot of arguing, they decided to head to Petalburg Forest and camp there for the night. It would be their first night out in the wilderness.

After a satisfactory dinner, the travellers headed back into their rooms and slept, preparing themselves for the long day ahead.

* * *

A big **Thank You** to those who had reviewed!

You guys really made my day!

And yes I **might** do O.C.s

Okay this chapter is longer compared to the 2nd but it may be a tad too long...

but it would be a very long time before I start writing again (due to major exams)...

Please review!

devil-fairy205 signing out.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: If I really owned Pokémon, the world would indeed be very different from today...

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

High above in the moonless night sky, a Salamence glided imperially above the PetalburgWoods. As it flapped its powerful red wings, strong gusts of wind descended onto the treetops, causing their canopies to rustle violently and resulting in many other wild Pokémon waking from their peaceful slumber.

Atop the Dragon Pokémon was a lone rider. He donned a black military uniform which helped conceal his presence. His olive toned skin too partially aided him in blending into the night sky, leaving only his silver coloured hair which seemed almost white stood out strikingly against his murky background.

The young man then surveyed the landscape beneath him with his night vision goggles. Symbols and words flashed on the green visor and a red circle flashed on the reflective screen which was quickly followed by a beep, a good indication that he was near.

He snapped his fingers together and the Salamence took a sharp turn, banking right and landed onto the large clearing in the middle of the Woods. Fallen leaves were tossed into the air by the currents created with each mighty stroke of the rare dragon type's wings.

The rider calmly leapt off his Pokémon and removed his goggles, revealing the crimson red eyes that were previously hidden by the reflective visor. His Salamence grunted and gently nudged his back before lifting its head and pointed towards the huge tree which lay in the centre of the huge clearing.

"This is the one." A female voice crackled into the young man's ear piece. He rolled his eyes before tapping the device and interjected "I _know_. There is no need to narrate me through the whole operation..._Ophelia_."

"Aww no need to be embarrassed about not knowing what to do sweetheart, after all I _am_ your fellow Chevalier-"the woman cooed soothingly into the ear piece.

All she ever had as a reply was a curt 'humph' before the line went dead.

The young man removed the ear piece from his ear and slipped it into his pocket. That was the end of Ophelia's irritating instructions.

He looked up and once again laid his eyes onto the colossal tree. Now that he had gotten a closer look at the tree, he was captivated with its ancient grace. Thick vines draped down from its high hanging branches resembling silk on the arms of royalty, its canopy wide and lush, as if it was the sole provider of shade in the woods.

"It is no wonder that this tree is the place in which his Lord chose to carry out this little test," He smirked to himself.

He stepped up towards the tree and removed a silver machine from his bag which he slung on his shoulder. Various wires of different thickness stuck out in awkward angles from the metallic box, causing it to resemble a huge deformed spider. In its centre laid a crystal orb and beside it was a deep purple coloured letter S designed to look like a serpentine dragon.

"Shadow League..."the man whispered as if in a trance before brushing his thumb across the symbol.

The young man lifted the device higher and gently pressed the object onto the primordial tree trunk. The metal object sprang to life, driving its cold limbs into the ancient wood. He then pressed a hidden button on the machine and the crystal orb located in the middle of the object started blinking red. He took a step back as he allowed the device to work its magic. A swift flash of purple was emitted and it was followed another stronger flash which briefly shone throughout the whole forest, engulfing its inhabitants.

As the flash rapidly faded into the night, a new weird atmosphere could be felt in the woods.

The man allowed himself a quick smile; after all it wasn't ever often that he permits himself to indulge in his own success.

_Pride breeds complacency._

That was what he believed in so he always gives his all in whatever he does and remains humble even towards the end of it.

The man turned around and walked away from the tree, as he got near his Salamence, the Dragon Pokémon lowered its long neck, allowing his trainer to get on without too much hassle. The silver haired man swiftly saddled his Salamence and clicked his tongue twice. The blue and red dragon acknowledged his commands with a slight nod before spreading out its huge wings and taking off into the wide open sky.

As Salamence climbed higher into the sky, everything grew smaller. Street lamps from the neighbouring Petalburg City shrunk till they were like mere Volbeats and Illumises flitting about in the dark. Even the humongous tree in the woods seemed to have become a tiny bush.

He gave his Pokémon a pet on its neck, they had done well.

* * *

Really sorry for the long wait!

I know this is a really _really _short chapter_. _I had many things on my mind and coupled together with my long holiday/stay Tasmania(wonderful place if I might add), I could barely access the Internet.

Okay, enough of excuses. I would now like readers(if I even have any...) to submit their OCs! ^-^

~Grand music plays followed by party confettis~

Yep, I finally decided I want other people to contribute to the story.

So I shall stop with all the chit-chat and get to the form thingy.

It _should_ go like this:

Name (Duh!)

Nickname (If any)

Gender (Pretty straight forward)

Age (10 and above)

Personality (Mary-Sues **DO NOT** belong here!)

Appearance (Eye, hair, skin colour, etc)

Clothes (Then what? They go around without any?)

History (I would immediately reject a tragic sounding past)

Region (Where your OC came from. Only from the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh region will be accepted. I will not except those from the Isshu region since the english version isn't even out yet. No made up regions.)

Goals (What your OC aims to be; trainer, coordinator, breeder, etc)

Likes

Dislikes

Pokémon (NO SHINIES PLEASE! No level 100s either or legendary! Be realistic! Only 4 moves per Pokémon and no they cannot have every single one belonging to that of powerful TMs. Also list down the future Pokémon they will have, where your OC is going to catch it and at what level. Do include the gender...I have more to say but it slipped my mind...)

That should be all I think? If there is anything more to your OC do not hesitate to let me know.

I will only accept submitions by PM. Those on the review list will not be given any form of consideration.

Dateline for submission is on 19 Dec 2010, not 2011.

I would try my best to fit in your OC but still, no guarantees.

Oh do not be surprised if you re-read my story and find something different about it. I did a little editing here and there after going through my horrible writing but they are extremely minor though.

Lastly I would like to thank Chaosmaker7 for his constructive criticism, I really needed it(=

Untill next time!

devil-fairy205 signing out!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Unless your brain is the size of a pea, you would think that I own Pokémon.

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE

The next morning, Seth's alarm clock rang and greened eyed girl forcefully slammed her palm on the off button on the screaming Hoothoot clock.

"Arghhhh..."

Seth sat up on the bed and swept her hand back towards her neck, a habit she had developed since when her hands met the humid tropical air, she was harshly reminded by the emptiness that she no longer had long hair.

"Ah, yes," she laughed to herself. "I forgot, how silly of me..."

She then pried open her sleepy eyes and found herself surrounded by her two Pokémon. Cain was curled himself and situated himself near her stomach while Asta cuddled next to Cain.

Seth groped about the bedside table and picked up her brownish red coloured framed spectacles before she gingerly got off the bed, not wanting to wake them up and slipped off across the white walled room to take a quick bath.

Feeling a little more awake after her cold shower, Seth turned her gaze back to the bed where Cain and Asta were still stirring in their sleep. The blackish cat curled up in a tight ball with a puffy orange chick at sleeping at his side. It was so sweet.

Seth took a good look at them, imprinting that adorable scene into her mind.

The black haired girl stood there in a daze, only snapping out of it when she remembered what she had to do and proceeded pack her clothes into her already messy and bulging bag pack. As she attempted to stuff in the food and medical supplies that would last them for their journey till they arrive at Rustboro City, Cain sleepily came over and greeted her. Seth stroked the Moonlight Pokémon, feeling his strong purr run through his sleek body.

Asta saw what Cain did. Not wanting to miss anything, she klutzily hopped over and rubbed her cheek against Seth. Her lips parted, bringing a smile to her pixie-like face. After all Seth only got Asta the day before and Asta seem to already like her as much as Cain does, or at least it seemed that way.

Seth playfully shooed her friends away telling them on to disturb her while she packed.

When she was finally done, she heaved the bag over her petite frame and clicked it in place. Seth returned Asta to her Pokéball and safely put it away at her belt before she surveyed the room one last time. Making sure she finally got everything, Seth locked the small room and walked to the lobby of the Pokémon Centre.

Seth handed her room key to Nurse Joy and moved on to sit on one of the many colourful but faded cushions available at the lobby. Cain gracefully stepped after her and settled down at her lap.

Seth craned her neck to search for her travelling companions.

The twins were not here yet.

Seth relaxed a little and waited for the boys.

A few minutes ticked by and Seth got a little irritated.

"Idiots," Seth grumbled to herself. "And to think I actually bothered to wake up this early in the morning."

Almost as soon as the last words left her mouth, the twins entered the lobby. Lind yawned widely while Jay energetically dragged his sleepy twin to where Seth was.

"Sorry! Lind refused to get out of bed. As you know, I had to approach with caution if not I'll suffer another kick to my stomach." Jay explained in a strained voice, still getting his younger brother to move.

Lind swayed a little, still unable to fully open his eyes, mumbled a few incoherent words. Seth could have sworn she heard him use a horrible swear word.

The trio had a quick breakfast before they left the town.

By the time they left the Pokémon Centre, Lind was back to his usual sarcastic self, commenting on nearly anything and everything he laid his blue eyes on.

The travellers walked towards Route 102. The treetops rustled with the wind, bringing a fresh scent of leaves everywhere. Wild Pokémon peeped from behind the viridian coloured grass and trees, eyeing suspiciously on the three aliens that had invaded their space.

As usual, they released one of their Pokémon each to fend off wild Pokémon who attempted to attack them.

The trio then walked down the grassy route, casually chatting about what they needed to accomplish while in Hoenn.

While they were walking, Seth felt that there was something following them. When she spun around, the presence disappeared quickly, only to return again when she continued walking. That continued for quite awhile.

Lind noticed Seth's odd behaviour and shot her glares that warned her not to act stupid.

Unable to take the feeling of being followed and the constant stares of Lind any more, Seth stopped in her tracks, turned back and shouted.

"Show yourself! I know you are there!"

Silence...nothing but silence.

Jay blinked at Seth in surprise while Lind looked on, irritated at her. They were making good progress till Seth stopped and shouted out loud for no reason.

"Don't be stupid Seth, there is no one following us. You are just paranoid." Lind mocked in a monotonous voice. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you caught Jay's 'idiotic-ness'."

"No! I swear that there is something following me!" the black haired girl protested angrily. "Just give me a minute! I'll prove it to you!"

"If there isn't?" Lind challenged, looking confident that he was right.

"I-I'll be your slave for a day!" she countered and shot back another look. "And if I'm right...?" trailing off towards the end.

"Likewise, _Seth_." Lind finished.

"It's a deal!"

Seth stepped forward and surveyed the route. At the corner of her eye, she spotted a slight rustle of grass.

"Cain over there! Use Tackle!" the black cat zipped across the large area of ground and smacked the mysterious 'stalker' in the head. Startled, the 'stalker' leapt out of its hiding spot, fully revealing itself in front of the trio.

What they saw was a Pokémon with two red horns atop its green helmet-like head and a body as white as freshly fallen snow. A Ralts.

Seth whipped out her Pokédex and the green device emitted a series of beeps before giving Seth the information she needed.

"_Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. It senses the emotions of people using the horns on its head. It rarely appears in front of people. But when it does, it draws closer if it senses a positive disposition. This Ralts is a female, Level 4, knows Growl_."

Seth looked up from her dex and stared at the Pokémon. The Ralts panicked and attempted to hide between the tall grasses. However, her Umbreon was quick and blocked off the little thing's escape route, leaving the Ralts helpless.

Seth turned back to Lind and gave him a smug look. The younger twin'sexpression was changed from that of haughtiness to one of total disbelief.

The green hair girl returned her gaze to the Ralts who was getting more panicky by the second. She then approached the Feeling Pokémon and bent down till she was about eye level with the Ralts. By then, the little green Pokémon completely freaked out and emitted an ear deafening cry. Seth abruptly stood up and covered her ears while Cain drooped his and backed away hissing at the same time. Seeing that this was her chance, the Ralts hightailed and fled back into the tall grass.

"That was some powerful voice!" Jay winced, rubbing his ears as if to comfort them while his Houndour whined and whimpered. "That was a Growl attack right?"

"I think so," Lind muttered before shaking his head to clear that high pitch ring, Nix's ears were flattened but she did not seem as pathetic as Cerberus.

"My ears hurt..." Seth complained and look towards Cain. "You okay there buddy?"

"Breon," Cain gave a nod before shaking his head as if to clear the noise.

Seth looked back towards the grass but saw no more movement.

"We better get a move on if we want to get to Petalburg Woods before night fall." Seth reminded her travelling companions. "Oh and slave, help me carry my bag."

Lind looked pissed off but grudgingly relieved Seth of her heavy load and stalked off with as much pride as he could muster, his Vulpix trotting closely behind while Jay and Seth giggled behind him.

A few minutes later, the feeling of being followed returned but this time the Ralts was no longer hiding but trailing them at a distance.

"Hey Seth," Jay whispered stealing a few glances back. "I think that Ralts likes you."

"Hmm..." Seth thought for awhile before she continued. "Jay, why don't you catch up with Lind first, I have something I want to do..."

"Alright." He chirped before he ran together with Cerberus towards Lind, nearly colliding into his brother.

Seth took a huge breath before she turned around to look at the Ralts who was startled by her actions and hid behind a tree, only to peek out a few moments later and retreat back again.

Cain stood by his trainer looking seemly intimidating towards the Ralts, as if warning her not to try anything funny.

Seth not wanting to have another repeat of the previous incident stayed a back instead of walking up towards the Ralts.

"Do you want to travel with me since you have been...following me?" the black haired girl directed the question towards the Feeling Pokemon.

A red horn poked out from behind the tree followed by the green helmet.

"Ralts ralts!" she bashfully cried out, nodding that helmet which seemed too big for that slender neck of hers to support.

Seth knew what had to be done.

Seth fumbled around her belt for a Pokéball and when she finally got it, she approached the now calm Ralts and tapped the ball against the green helmet. A white flash appeared and disappeared as soon as it came and the Ralts was sucked into the Pokéball. The button, located on the meeting point of the sphere's red and white half, blinked red for a few seconds before settling down.

The Ralts was hers!

Seth's gaze passed through the translucent red half of the Pokéball and met those of the Ralts.

Seth thought a little and grinned "My name is Seth and welcome aboard. Your new name is Lilith. Do you like it?"

The Feeling Pokémon's horned glowed, and that was all Seth needed to know. She gave Lilith a wide smile.

Seth then clicked the Pokéball on to place, just beside Asta, and set off towards the boys.

When she announced to her friends that she caught the Ralts, Jay went all crazy and started exclaiming "I knew it! I knew it!" in an extremely annoying manner. Lind seemed happy for Seth but she could tell he was still a bit sore from the bet.

After all the fuss and excitement from Seth's first capture died down, the trio walked on.

Cerberus and Jay ran to the front and stupidly jumped around, saying that he wanted to catch a Pokémon too while Lind glumly stepped behind him, resisting the urge to command Nix to flame him down.

Cain trotted as gracefully as ever beside Seth while she often stepped on twigs or leaves that would alert everyone within a ten mile radius of her location. Once she nearly stumbled on a tiny stone that almost sent her face to the muddy ground. Seth scowled inwardly, wishing that she could have just a fraction of Cain's cat-like grace. That way, she would not trip as often as she does.

"Whoa! Target in sight!"

The travellers looked up at the source of the voice just in time to catch a boy jump down a tree.

To Seth's disappointment, he did not fall flat on his face but landed on his feet. Everyone seemed to be more agile then her and that is just so unfair.

Now that he was no longer on the tree, Seth managed to take a good look at the boy for the first time. The boy seemed to be about nine years old and donned a huge straw hat that seemed too big for his head.

The boy looked at Jay and grinned "You are a trainer too right? I challenge you to a one-on-one battle!"

Jay without another thought agreed enthusiastically.

Lind stepped up and said he would judge while Seth just merely sat down and watched.

"This will be a one-on-one Pokémon battle with no time limit! The first side that is no longer able to battle loses. Trainers please send out your Pokémon!"

"Okay then! Dexter come on out!" the little boy threw his Pokéball on to the floor, releasing a purple bug Pokémon with green wings. The moth-like Pokémon flapped its wings and cried out.

"Dustox!"

Jay took out his Pokédex and checked.

"_Dustox, the Poison Moth Pokémon. When Dustox flaps its wings, a fine dust scatters all over. This dust is actually a powerful poison. It searches for food using its antennae like radar."_

"Hmmm, Poison Moth huh? Okay Marshi you're out!" Jay sent his Mud Fish Pokémon out.

The blue coloured water type looked around as if unsure of his location. Marshi wobbled his fin a little and a glint appeared in his eyes. He seemed to have noticed his flying foe.

"What!" Seth cried out in disbelief. She knew that Jay was dumb but seriously not that dumb! Cerberus would have been a better choice compared to Marshi since bug types are weak against fire types.

Lind glowered at Seth, as if to tell her to zip it before he turned to look at the two trainers.

"Without any further disruptions," this he looked at Seth, "let the battle begin!"

"Dexter use Psybeam!" the bug catcher shouted across the field.

"Dust Dustox!"

His Dustox flew forward and unleaded a pair of multicoloured beam from its eyes.

"Marshi counter with Water Gun!" Jay hollered.

Marshi picked up the command and shot a powerful squirt of water from his mouth.

The two attacks collided in mid air and a grey cloud formed to cover the battle field. All Seth saw was greyness and the cloud slowly engulfed the two trainers and Pokémon.

Seth spotted a flash of purple needles and Marshi came out of the cloud looking distressed. His foe towered above him, grinning evilly.

"So how do you like Dexter's Poison Sting?" the boy mocked.

Jay scowled deeply and quickly took in all that had happened. Marshi has now been poisoned by Dexter and is growing weaker by the minute unless he can somehow find the Dustox in all that smoke...

"That's it! Marshi use Water Gun again!"

"Mudkip Mud!" Marshi unleashed another shot of water from his mouth towards the Dustox. Ron saw this and smirked.

"Dexter counter with Psybeam!"

The attacks collided again in mid air sending the field once again into greyness. Jay calmed himself down and ordered Marshi to do so too. The Mud Fish Pokémon complied weakly and stood still despite his trembling feet.

Jay closed his eyes and concentrated all his focus to his ears...

"Flap, flap."

Without warning Jay opened his eyes and pointed to his right. Marshi then used his tail fin to dig out a huge glop of mud from the ground and swung the offensive mess over to the direction Jay pointed at.

The Mud Slap attack met its target and the Poison Moth Pokémon flopped to the ground, unable to stay airborne due to the extra weight on its wings.

Since his opponent is currently not able to move, Jay got Marshi to finish Dexter off with a Water Gun. Marshi obediently obeyed and soon, the Dustox slumped to the ground, no longer struggling to get the mud off its wings.

"Dustox is unable to battle! The winner is Mudkip and jay!" Lind announced.

The boy returned Dexter to its ball and walked over to congratulate Jay on his win. He then handed the prize money over to Jay for winning the battle and Jay happily accepted it.

After the trainers bid farewell, Jay, Lind and Seth hurried towards the Pokémon Centre in Petalburg City where Jay healed his poisoned Marshi. Seth also handed Lilith over for Nurse Joy to heal.

While waiting for their Pokémon to be returned to them, they returned their Pokémon to their respective balls. Jay and Seth then sat down at the lobby of the Pokémon Centre to chat as Lind wanted to get more supplies so he left for the Pokémon Mart. After he exited the building, Jay leaned back on his chair looking blissful while Seth was plagued by the question that had formed in her head ever since the start of Jay's battle.

"Why did you use Marshi?," Seth asked the boy. "Isn't Cerberus the better choice since he is a fire type?"

"No, not true." Jay smiled. "You forget the fact that Cerberus is part dark type and that both Pokémon actually cancels out each other. Plus, Marshi needs all the extra trainning he can get because I plan to use him to challenge the first gym. What about you Seth? Who will you use?"

"Erm I think I'll go with Cain..." the black haired girl replied hesitantly. "He _is_ currently the highest levelled one among all my Pokémon _but_ I have a trick up my sleeve," she confided to Jay.

The auburn haired boy looked eagerly at Seth.

"Tell me about it then!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Lind was at the Pokémart stocking up on potions and berries. His blue eyes scanned the multitude of items that neatly lined the shelves and his fingers lingered on the bag of Oran berries. Just as he was about to pick the berries off the shelf, he overheard a pair of travellers just behind him talk about the Petalburg Woods.

"Hey did you hear about the recent rumours on the nearby woods?"

"Yeah of course!" the other traveller huffed at his companion. "They say that the wild Pokémon in the woods are behaving in a weird manner."

"Scary it's it?" the first traveller spoke. "There is no way I'm going to enter it now-"

"Erm excuse me," Lind turned around to face the strangers. "I hate to interrupt but can you tell me more about the rumours?"

* * *

Lind burst out of the blue tiled building and ran towards the healing centre. As he forcefully swung open the wooden doors, trainers glared his way, annoyed that he held no regard for the building. But Lind completely ignored them and went over to his friends whom were happily chatting about battle tactics.

"You two listen up," Lind dictated staring both of them in the eye, cutting short their happy discussion. "I overheard some travellers talking about the Petalburg Woods, saying that it isn't really safe now. We might need to revise our plans."

Jay looked up to Lind with an amused expression in his eyes. "What's so unsafe about the woods?"

"All I know is that the Pokémon there are behaving funny. They didn't really say much and when I asked them, they were flighty about it and quickly left-"

"Must be the scary aura he emits. Pfff-Hahaha" Jay tried to choke back his laugher but failed and was joined in by Seth.

The two trainers laughed so hard that Seth thought that if she continued, she might die from a laughing overload.

Ling glowered, irritated at them and banged his fist on the table.

"This is no laughing matter! We might not be able to transverse that place and exit safely."

Seth chuckled and waved Lind's words off, saying that they should be able to handle any attacks from wild Pokémon and if Lind was really worried, they could always buy Repels.

Lind looked at the two, eventually giving a huge sigh and mumbled something about how stubborn they are.

Just then, Nurse Joy appeared and returned the Pokémon to their original trainers. Jay and Seth gratefully accepted the Pokéballs, not forgetting to thank Nurse Joy for healing their Pokémon. The trio then got up from their comfy spot and walked out of the Pokémon Centre, feeling more spirited than usual, okay, maybe only Seth and Jay. After all, all that laughing caused their stomachs to ache.

The travellers released their Pokémon and together made their way down Route 104.

They walked past the old wooden jetty which they first arrived at. The sun now was high in the sky, bringing shadows down to the bare minimum. As they got closer to the forest, more trees came into view, each taller and bigger than the one before.

It was not long before they arrived at the edge of the Petalburg forest. Though it was midday, the way in was dark and Seth gulped. The shadows between the trees seemed to be darker than normal and Seth thought she saw something flit across the thick canopy. It was getting creepier by the minute.

The usually brave Cerberus whimpered and glanced up to Jay who diverted his gaze towards Seth who then looked to Lind for help.

Lind gave them the 'I told you so you should have just listened to me in the first place' look and took the first step into the dark woods. Behind him scurried his companions, glad that they were not the ones leading the group into the dark forest.

* * *

That is the end of Chapter 5!

Now, let's get on to bussiness.

OC submission is still ongoing, so drop me a **PM** if you would like your OC to be in this story.

Even though I said no submitting OC by reviews, I still had someone doing the very same thing I said not to do...and we all wonder why teachers go crazy teaching.

I have a gut feeling there might be more submited this way so I shall make a compromise...(see how nice I am?)

If I really like your OC that was submited through reviews, I will use him/her on the condition that I can change certain information about them, which may be anything _sooooo_ unless you want your OC to be distorted by yours truly, feel free to submit using reviews(=

Do not blame me if your OC turns out weird. It was your fault in the first place for not following instructions.

So far all the OCs sound pretty good and I can't wait to try them out in the story.

Still in need of one more Admin for Shadow league, more supporting characters and erm...that should be it.

Untill the next time I touch my keyboard.

devil-fairy205 signing out.


	6. Update

Hey all those out there who are reading my fan fiction, I am really sorry that this is not another chapter... ever since I entered Junior College, it's has been all late nights rushing to finish assignments after assignments. School has sure kept me busy. My exams are fast approaching and maybe after that I would continue from where I left off, that is if my teachers decide to not fail me and make me sit for re-tests.

One good thing is that during my long absence, I finally know how to weave **every single** character that was nicely introduced by everyone into the story^^ Yay! Party confetti's! Don't worry though; I will definitely finish this story.

Cheers!

demirefaye

(Oh and I changed my username too)


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